The front is the better starting point for a cheque scanner with one UV imaging channel. Published cheque designs put fluorescent protection around front-side payment fields such as the payee and amount. Before choosing a scanner, confirm where the required features sit on the cheque designs you accept and whether the feeder presents that face to the UV sensor. U.S. Treasury check security guide · Bangladesh Bank cheque design handbook, §6.5
What people mean by “UV watermark”
A bank logo can appear as fluorescent printing or as a watermark formed in the paper. The two features require different lighting. The U.S. Treasury describes both on its checks, while the State Bank of Pakistan’s 2014 security circulars distinguish the paper watermark from invisible UV features such as fluorescent fibres. U.S. Treasury check security guide · State Bank of Pakistan circular letter No. 3
| Feature | How to inspect it | Which face matters? |
|---|---|---|
| UV-printed logo or pattern | Illuminate the cheque with UV and image the fluorescence. | Capture the face carrying the printing. |
| True paper watermark | Backlight the cheque and image the light passing through the paper. | Either face can be used. The pattern appears reversed from the other side. |
| Embedded fluorescent fibres | Illuminate the paper with UV and look for the fibres’ fluorescent response. | This is a property of the paper stock. Verify what the proposed scanner can resolve on representative samples. |
What published cheque specifications show
| Source | What the document establishes |
|---|---|
| United States — U.S. Treasury checks | The fluorescent overprint is usually under the payee and dollar-amount fields. The Treasury describes a break in the pattern as a possible indication of alteration in the amount area. Treasury check security guide |
| Bangladesh — Bangladesh Bank design handbook | The handbook places a fine-line fluorescent pattern around the payee name, numeric amount box and amount in words. These are front-side fields. Design handbook, §6.5 |
| Tanzania — Bank of Tanzania’s published standard | The standard specifies the bank logo in UV ink and lists a front UV image with a minimum resolution of 100 dpi in its image table. Cheque Standards and Specifications, §§6.7–6.8 |
| Pakistan — State Bank of Pakistan’s 2014 circulars | The amended paper-security provision calls for an invisible UV feature and gives fibres and UV highlights as examples. It leaves the face unspecified. Circular letter No. 3, paragraph 3 |
These examples explain why front-side UV is a reasonable starting point. Coverage for a specific bank depends on its approved cheque layouts, including older designs still accepted for deposit.
Visible-light duplex and duplex UV are separate specifications
Canon’s CR-190i II UV supports duplex scanning in ordinary imaging modes and captures UV on the front only. A procurement specification should identify the face captured in each mode and the image the application can retrieve. Ask the vendor to demonstrate both with your cheque samples and the driver or SDK you plan to use. Canon CR-190i II UV specifications
Feed orientation is a separate constraint. Software can rotate an upside-down image. If the cheque enters face down relative to the UV sensor, capturing the required face takes reinsertion, a transport that physically turns the cheque over, or UV imaging on both sides. For an unattended deposit kiosk, test every permitted orientation and verify what the customer sees when the kiosk needs a rescan.
Separate inspection from clearing
The images a bank needs for physical security inspection can differ from those the clearing system accepts. The Reserve Bank of India’s cheque-clearing FAQ lists three Cheque Truncation System images: front grayscale, front black and white, and back black and white. The Bank of Tanzania’s published standard includes a front UV image alongside conventional images. Its 100 dpi minimum applies to that specification. Resolution for automated inspection should be validated against the smallest feature the system must reliably assess. Reserve Bank of India cheque-clearing FAQ, question 7 · Bank of Tanzania image specifications, table 7
Define what the system must capture for inspection, what the bank must retain for review, and what it must transmit for clearing. Each decision can affect scanner output and downstream storage.
How to validate UV inspection by cheque design
- Build a reference set. For each supported issuer and design generation, record the expected feature, its face and its position. Include worn, folded and stamped examples so the trial reflects what customers deposit.
- Verify capture end to end. Run samples through the proposed scanner in every supported feed orientation. Confirm the application receives the required UV image at usable quality and can associate it with the corresponding visible-light images.
- Check the expected region. Use the ordinary image to align the cheque and identify the applicable design where possible. Inspect the UV logo or pattern where that design places it. Cheque data extraction can supply fields from the visible image, while UV inspection evaluates the physical security feature.
- Record distinct outcomes. Keep a missing or inconsistent pattern distinct from an unscanned face, poor image quality or an unknown cheque design. A rescan can resolve a capture failure. An inconsistent feature may require manual review. A matching feature is one input to document inspection, while payment authorisation requires separate bank checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cheque watermark visible from both sides?
A true paper watermark can be viewed from either side when light passes through the sheet. A fluorescent logo printed on one face requires UV illumination and a view of that face. U.S. Treasury check security guide
Can a single UV channel handle cheques inserted face up or face down?
It can support both insertion orientations if the workflow can obtain a second view through physical reversal or customer reinsertion. For a single-pass workflow that accepts either face without intervention, verify UV capture on both sides.
Does a back-side stamp indicate a back-side UV feature?
A verification stamp records a handling or inspection step. To locate the fluorescent feature itself, consult the approved cheque layout or inspect an issued specimen under UV illumination.